I agree with you. I think there's more nuance to his character, just like how people are in real life. Hating on someone because of some words some people said ot because you don't know them well is just ... well, counterproductive.
1. He can be very nice. He can also be very calculating. Do you consider that part of the reason he gave her the notes is specifically to extract this favor? He plans ahead (remember all the favors he called up to find her and that a thug-mobster let him slap him--he's got some sort of masterful connections there.)
2. He didn't have to tell his mother he had a girlfriend. That was a little too convenient. He just had to say, "I have to study and catch up and go to college and get a great career going, mom. NO time to date." No one said he HAD to come out, but he could.
3. Asking a girl to pretend to be your girlfriend when you're gay is the definition of a beard/shield. Yes, that's exactly what he asked.
4. When he asked her to come and join them and she declined (due to Hee Bum's request), that seemed a lot like him getting a girl-shield (cause wouldn't a guy wanna be alone with his guy when they can hardly see each other due to busy schedules?)
Yoo Won is not bad. But Yoo Won is clever. And Eldo said he used her as a shield and we've seen him do something similar with Jumi (the fireworks, the hospital). I think it may be to protect Hee Bum, honestly (with his violent father and all) or to not let gossip get to his mom (maybe both). But this favor is askign for a shield. Period. And it's makign Hee Bum VERY uncomfortable. Yoo Won is not considering Hee Bum's feelings.
Yes we're already shown very little yoo won . While we know where hee bum and jumi are coming from. I also used to think he has some plan up his sleeve. But after reading the last few chapters he's just a normal teenager with his set of problems and more because of his good looks people almost stalk him or blackmail him to close to . So yeah he's clumsy and sometimes acts like an asshole but that doesn't necessarily mean he's using jumi. I've never seen him using jumi . He just treats her nice and talks with her because she's few of those people who're not following him around for some superficial reason. And naturally when you see someone as a friend you help them and ask for their help.
But to begin with he only started talking to her to make sure that she wouldnt spread news about them being gay and breaking up. Under other circumstances, like accidentally bumping into her in the hall would he have asked her out for food, probably not. I agree with ManganiME, YW can be very nice but he is also very calculating. Also I dont like how he decided to get back together with HB when he saw that HB was upset when Jumi was kidnapped (a situation that arose bc of YW to begin with). He might really love HB but to me it looked like YW was jealous of the closeness between HB and Jumi.
And yes, asking someone to be you fake girlfriend when you are gay is the same thing as asking her to be your beard/shield. even if you are friends or not.
Okay, let's go back to the beginning.
1. He breaks up with Hee Bum and tells him to NEVER speak to him again--hardly sweet--and tosses the "precious" lighter Hee Bum gave to him to Jumi as if it's trash. That's cold.
2. When she returns it, he realizes she saw the kiss and knows they're gay (or bi, whatever) and he plots how to keep her silent (food, conversation, friendliness). That's sly.
(Even Jumi knows that treat was to silence her.)
3. He storms out of the restaurant where Jumi has been used as a go-between, and then he grabs Jumi and puts her in the "confidante" situation about how he only went out with Hee Bum "out of curiosity" and intends to "break up" for real. The way he says she's the ONLY one he can tell...he immediately puts her in a "trust bond" situation. He knows Hee Bum is now using Jumi, so he has to make sure she doesn't only take Hee's side: Clever.
4. On the roof, when he returns the lighter to Hee Bum and says "sorry" about not reconsidering the break-up and the kiss from the past , he said to Jumi, "I thought you were on my side." Guilting: sly
5. He walks with her after the stairs incident (again, he's partially at fault for mouthing off at Redhead bitch so that she makes Jumi her hair-pulling target), then he threatens redhead: a ploy to suppress her, and not just, imo, about Jumi, but to let her he's dangerous (since she could blab that he's gay/bi).
6. Walking with Jumi, he says that Hee likes her and He himself likes her, and does this in the path of where Hee would walk by: probably a calculation, given the loo on his face when Hee shows up.
7. He brings her rice cakes the next time, and does it so publicly that it will be remarked upon--which could be a way to stay connected to Hee or a way to control Jumi or a way to apologize, or all three for a mastermind: smart
8.AS soon as Redhead Bitch tells him that Hee Bum will be taken away by Jumi, he suddenly approaches Jumi and they all three go out to eat and he declares he's going to get along with Hee Bum. "Get along until the CSAT"--when he told him not to even talk to him before. So, is he after Hee Bum again, after Jumi, or is he makign sure Jumi doesn't snatch Hee Bum while he's studying: calculating
9. Yoo Won asks Jumi all laughing and all at the meal to "take care of Hee Bum" and then goes out to smoke, leaving them alone: seems calculating, but enigmatic, like he wants Hee Bum to have someone else to depend on and befriend (possibly so he stops obsessing about Yoo and lets him study in peace.)
10. HAppens to extract promise of favor in return for study notes, brings up mother thing and Jumi feels guilty for asking--bam, asks her to beard for him and she can't say no out of guilt/friendship/feels bad for mom/Yoo: calculating.
I happen to think he has come to like Jumi (because, well ,she's a really good person). But I also happen to think he's put himself in a situation where he has to make plans, keep an eye out, plot, do sly things in order to have some control in a situation where he's felt out of control.
I mean, he "disposed" of his broadcasting friends. Did he do that for Hee Bum or to study? Then he disposed of Hee Bum. Was that for various reasons or just to study? It's quite possible he knew that Hee Bum had no one but him and so WOULD wait for his attention to return and Jumi shot that to hell by being reliable and a friend to Hee Bum, screwing up Yoo Won's plans.
I guess we'll find out in backstory, but Hee Bum had his life fall apart and he probably is super protective now and has had to learn to manipulate to do so.
A little part of me still wants him with Hee Bum, but a healthy relationship, not the clingy-dependent Hee and the "makes all the decisions' Yoo.
Oops, I mean Yoo Won has seen his life fall apart (couldn't take the test, mother sick, alienated from former friends, broke up with boyfriend).
I know jumi is awesome and people are shipping her with hee bum but that's no reason to hate yoo won. He's a pretty nice guy . He even gave his study notes to jumi. He likes as a friend . He has never treated her bad. And people saying she's being used like a shield like dude he just asked a favour from one of the few people he talks . If your mom's ill in hospital can you go and say, 'yeah mom ya know I like dudes not chicks.' things are not that simple homosexuality is still not treated in same as heterosexuality. Especially parents it's hard to explain it to them . Yeah he's handsome but that doesn't mean he has a bad character . It's like good looking people are already treated like assholes even before knowing their story .